


Son of a Sorcerer

by EmpireMurderer



Series: Vipers and Vixens [3]
Category: Aladdin (1992)
Genre: Dark Jasmine (Disney), F/M, Family Man Jafar, Jasmine is Pregnant All the Damned Time, Sorcerers, Villains Always Win
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-27 04:04:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15677670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmpireMurderer/pseuds/EmpireMurderer
Summary: There were two people Prince Adzeem hated most in the world. His father and the Grand Vizier Jafar.Sequel to Snake Charmer





	Son of a Sorcerer

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first attempt at the sequel to Snake Charmer but I wasn't very satisfied with it because it was a stark departure from the original story's tense, tone and characterizations. If The Viper and the Vixen is part 2, this is more like part 2.1.

There were two people Prince Adzeem hated most in the world. His father and the Grand Vizier Jafar.

 

While his hate was only a budding turmoil of resentment, his father, Sultan Ali, failed him in aspects only a very intelligent boy could possibly understand. Throughout the years, Adzeem had approached his father, looking for approval or affection and receiving only indifference. While his father had never been outright hostile with him, somehow that made it worse, feeling that his hatred for the man would be more justified if there was enough anger displayed from the Sultan. Adzeem could only rely on his insidious acerbity to direct his grudge.

Still, Adzeem tried as often as he could to retain the attention of his father. He spent hours studying his books and learning lessons above his peer group. He practiced his horsemanship, swordsmanship and other athletic feats recommended for a Sultan heir. He performed works of charity and service in the cities and gained the respect of the people. Unfortunately, Sultan Ali was generally occupied in his private wing of the palace for hours or even days on end and his attempts to impress the generally dismissive Sultan went unnoticed. It did not stop Adzeem from trying. His own desire to have a father who loved and prided in him was the one thing that Adzeem was missing in his perfect life and he would stop at nothing to obtain it.

It troubled Adzeem that his parents did not seem to be invested in their marriage. It was not in the sense that they argued but that they didn’t seem to fraternize with each other at all. In all his years, he had never seen his parents so much as smile at one another. It was another reason to dislike his father because, out of everyone, Adzeem loved his mother the most.

Strangely enough, Adzeem knew that his mother loved his father. She loved to talk about him and she was currently pregnant with their fifth child. He was well aware that his hatred of his father stemmed from the fact that he was a negligent parent and husband but somewhere in that frail mind of a sultan was a man that his mother desired. If his mother could find a way to love him, then Adzeem was determined to do the same. Though he hated the man, there was a hope that he was merely misunderstanding him, and he was willing to go to great lengths to forgive.

Which came to the reason he hated the Grand Vizier. There was something about the tall menacing man that made his blood boil every time Jafar was near his mother. The Sultaness, for all her sense, did not seem to notice that Jafar often was too close by her side. It made Adzeem see red every time the Grand Vizier whispered into her ear, a covert smile perched across his over-meticulous beard. There was no doubt Jafar loved his mother and Adzeem could not understand why, if she was so dedicated to the Sultan, she allowed it.

The way Adzeem viewed it, the person impeding upon his parent’s marriage was the Grand Vizier, who usurped Jasmine’s time enough that there was no occasion for his father and mother to have a relationship. Seeing how Sultaness Jasmine claimed to already be in love with his father, all Adzeem needed to do was a little prodding. It would be best if Jafar was not in the way, as well.

Being a smart and shrewd boy, he knew just how to bring his parents together and, in the process, get rid of the Grand Vizier.

 

 

The first thing Adzeem did was work on his father. Being of borderline sensibilities, his father would be easiest to manipulate.

Even before Adzeem’s grandfather had died, Princess Jasmine had begun to hold court, preparing for the imminent exchange of power. Once he became Sultan, Ali’s lack of knowledge and interest propelled him to hide away in his wing and Jasmine continued to hold court by herself with her most trusted adviser, Jafar. It was no secret that the Sultaness’ confidence in her right hand man was a source of contention between the Sultan and the Grand Vizier. The animosity compounded with the growing trend of Agrabah’s prosperity. The Sultan was the Grand Vizier’s harshest critic, and it was always a slap to Ali’s face when Jafar’s ideas heightened Agrabah’s success.

But the Sultan could never get rid of the Grand Vizier because the Sultaness would certainly raise hell. The kingdom praised Jasmine for her dedication and charity to the citizens, which gave her power beyond the Sultan’s. Everyone knew it was the Sultaness who was directing the kingdom’s growth. So the Sultan grumbled and complained and could do nothing about him. His jealousy grew exponentially and he retreated to his private wing to hide his humiliation. His father was headed there now when Adzeem accosted him.

 

 

 

“Father,” Adzeem called as he saw him walk down the hall. The Sultan turned and rolled his eyes and continued to walk without so much as a courtesy. “Father!”

“What is it, boy?” the Sultan growled. With the few interactions Adzeem had with his father, this was usually his demeanor. Adzeem caught up with the Sultan and trotted beside him.

“I was hoping you would teach me all that you know.”

“Why would I do that?” the Sultan demanded in contempt. “I don’t have time for impudent children. Why would you come to me anyway?”

“I hear you’re the smartest man in the kingdom and I wanted to gain from your wisdom,” Adzeem replied. He hadn’t stepped alongside his father in a while and he was surprised to note that he was almost as tall as the Sultan. It wasn’t that the Sultan was short, but rather that Adzeem was tall for his age. He also couldn’t help but notice the Sultan’s large belly was different from Adzeem’s rail thin stature.

“Oh? Who told you that?” the Sultan asked with a minor hint of interest.

“Mother.” It wasn’t a lie. His mother had told him many times that there was no one smarter than his father. While Adzeem didn’t quite see it that way, he trusted his highly intelligent mother to know.

“Your mother told you this?” the Sultan asked in surprise.

“Of course. She says it all the time.”

The Sultan stopped and stared at him in bewilderment, the wheels of his mind visibly spinning in slow speed. Adzeem waited patiently, as he was a patient boy (like his father, his mother would remind him) and eventually the Sultan came out of his cloudy thoughts to acknowledge his son was still there.

“If she thinks I’m smart, she should put out more,” the Sultan replied before turning back to his destination. Adzeem didn’t understand his meaning and was strangely irritated that his father could stupify him.

“Mother asks that you come to dinner this evening,” Adzeem carried on, hoping it didn’t sound like a lie.

“Why? She doesn’t enjoy my company.”

“Are you sure? She often laments that she wishes you were with us.”

“Does she really?”

“Yes. She talks about you being the wittiest man she knows. She must enjoy your company if she says that.”

“Hmm…I always knew she still had a thing for me. Why else would she choose me out of all her suitors? It’s just she’s pregnant all the damned time,” the Sultan surmised. “Boy, when you’re older, hope you’re not cursed with exceptional seed like I am.”

Again, Adzeem didn’t quite understand but he had an inkling what he meant and it made the prince cringe inwardly.

“So, you’ll be at dinner?” Adzeem asked.

“Fine, whatever…” the Sultan waved a dismissive hand as he left Adzeem in his dust. The prince watched his father disappear into the only wing of the palace Adzeem was forbidden to go.

 

 

Adzeem decided to go to the library, his favorite place in the palace. It was a behemoth of a room, filled from floor to ceiling of books and scrolls that Adzeem was granted access. Because he was of a curious mind, Adzeem loved to read about all things, including history, mathematics and science. He was enthralled in a tome about war strategy when he felt a shadow surround him. He immediately knew who it was. There was no one else who could cast a shadow so tall and menacing.

“I might know quite a lot about strategy, my boy,” the Grand Vizier’s rich baritone said. “Perhaps we could discuss on the finer points you have learned.”

“I don’t believe I am interested in your theories, Grand Vizier,” Adzeem scowled into his book. There was a pause while the Grand Vizier pondered him openly. Adzeem was discouraged when Jafar suddenly sat in the seat across the table from him with a thoughtful glare in his direction.

“A young man your age would benefit from the strategic play of Go. If you should ever be interested in a simple game, I can be of assistance in teaching you.”

“I don’t want your lessons. Please, leave me be with my research.”

“As you wish, young prince,” Jafar could barely conceal his disappointment. “I pray you have a good day.”

As soon as he was gone, Adzeem let out a breath he had unconsciously been holding. The grand Vizier often had that effect on him. He knew there was no reason to be fearful of the man, yet he was. He wasn’t scared of Jafar as a person but there was a sense that Jafar could somehow destroy Adzeem’s ideas of self. There was something about him that seemed omniscient and incredibly powerful. The Grand Vizier was so highly regarded within the kingdom that it was often rumored he could kill a man and the Sultaness would pardon him.

The worst thing about Jafar was that Adzeem couldn’t help but feel a certain amount of regard for him. No matter how jealous he was that the Grand Vizier had his mother’s ear, there was always a feeling of reverence of the man. This was not the first time the Grand Vizier had tried to slither his way into Adzeem’s good graces and he suspected it would not be the last.

 

 

Later that night, Adzeem was, for once, glad to see the Grand Vizier in attendance for dinner. Without him, his plan could not be completed. He committed to memory the expression Jafar had as he looked up to see the Sultan unexpectedly take his seat at the head of the table.

“Ali,” his mother replied in confusion. “It’s very nice to have you join us tonight.”

“I’ve been told you miss my company,” the Sultan replied, giving Jasmine a wag of his eyebrows. Jasmine glanced in perplexity to Jafar who surreptitiously shrugged his shoulders. The servants brought in the plates and placed them before everyone. There were eight in attendance. The Sultan, Jasmine, Jafar, Prince Adzeem and his three brothers and sisters along with the nanny who fed the youngest. Adzeem, being the oldest, sat nearest the adults and had a complete view of them.

There was little talk at first though Adzeem was irked to see his mother lean over near Jafar and say something to him beneath her breath. He nodded and glared curiously at the Sultan who slurped his soup in total ignorance.

Like most nights, Jafar and Jasmine took to speaking of politics. They had great plans for the kingdom, and to the Grand Vizier’s credit, most of his ideas were utilized with large success. Ever since Jasmine became the main ruler, Agrabah had thrived into one of the wealthiest nations in the known land. At the moment, Jafar was discussing the constant immigration issues the kingdom was suffering due to vast amounts of refugees from less successful kingdoms seeking asylum under the strength of the crown.

“We cannot supply food for the numbers crossing the borders,” Jafar told Jasmine. “There are too many coming in large waves. What we need is to find work for them to earn their keep.”

“Is the land fertile?” Jasmine asked. “We could employ them as farmers and have them supply their own food in that area.”

“That’s an excellent suggestion except we wouldn’t be able to maintain their numbers before the crops can be harvested.”

“Still, it’s worth making the effort now so that future refugees could benefit from the work.”

Suddenly, the Sultan, who everyone knew was jealous of Jafar for the respect he commanded around the kingdom, piped in with his own ideas.

“This is easily solved,” he replied with an unwarranted arrogance. “Set up a wall along the border. Now there are no refugees to feed and the problem is gone.”

“With all due respect,” Jafar answered. “Immigrants are what are building this kingdom right now. After years of wasting away, we are now in the position to accept all kinds of people wishing to enter our borders. You’ll find that most of them are educated and trying to escape the dictatorship of their unruly kingdom.”

“We have enough people,” Ali responded in annoyance. “You just don’t want to agree with me.”

“That’s not true,” Jasmine replied. “The Grand Vizier just feels that we would be making a mistake if we were to drive out the refugees without offering a chance for them to establish themselves as good citizens.”

“Nothing good comes out of refugees,” Ali remarked. “Besides, he’s never been a refugee so he can’t know what that’s like, and he’s never been a Sultan so he can’t know what’s best.”

“I beg your pardon,” Jafar replied through gritted teeth, “but I came from desolation and am the right hand of a superior ruler. I believe I have much more experience in the matter than you realize.”

“I am the Sultan,” Ali countered. “Therefore I am the smartest.”

“I cannot stress enough how that has no bearing in the matter.” Jafar’s voice rose in suppressed anger. Jasmine put a hand to Jafar’s wrist in an effort to calm him. Adzeem glared irately at their physical contact, wishing he wasn’t witness to what felt like such an intimate act.

“I must point out that the Grand Vizier is of considerable intelligence and has never steered this kingdom wrong,” Jasmine assuaged. Adzeem now considered the Grand Vizier’s presence to be a nuisance. His plan was not going the direction he wanted and he felt it was time to take action.

“Mother,” Adzeem remarked. “Didn’t you tell me that father was the most intelligent man in the kingdom?”

Jasmine stared at Adzeem dumbfounded until she snapped her attention to Ali.

“Yes, I did say that,” Jasmine answered. “Your father is one of the most remarkably clever men I’ve ever known.”

The prince noticed Jafar look to him suspiciously, and he had an odd feeling that the Grand Vizier could somehow read into his mind.

“As I was told,” the Sultan responded haughtily. “I am the Sultan. Only clever men can be Sultan.”

“But even the wisest of men have been known to fall to hubris and lack of foresight,” Jasmine went on, her head turned towards the Grand Vizier. “It would be wise to consider the whole picture before taking action.”

“Tell that to your dog,” the Sultan pointed at Jafar. “I’m not sure why I still employ you, vizier.”

“It’s Grand Vizier,” Jafar responded with clenched fists, “and I have been employed here long before you were accepted into the kingdom. I am of this land, which is more than I can say for you.”

“You dare to insult me?” the Sultan suddenly raged. “I am the ruler of this kingdom and I can have your head for so much as a wrong look.”

“He means no offense, your highness-…” Jasmine flustered.

“Of course he does!” the Sultan yelled. “Why ask me to join you for dinner only to bring your indignant worm with you?”

“Worm?” Jafar demanded, his staff gripped tightly in his hand. “I am the protector of this kingdom and without me you would still be the third imbecile son of a first-rate imbecile sultan.”

“How dare you!” the Sultan rose to his feet and slammed his fist into the table. At the other end of the table, the nanny gathered the youngest children and hustled them away. “Without me you wouldn’t have the lands my father gave you in exchange for the hand of this woman! Which, by the way, you undoubtedly tricked my father into giving away.”

“We did no such thing,” Jafar scoffed. “That land was not being properly utilized by your idiot father and we simply turned it into a lucrative mining and farming community. By believing the land was barren, your father was trying to dupe us into the exchange. He’s a scoundrel on top of being stupid.”

“Don’t you ever insult my father, you black son of a devil!” the Sultan stormed up to Jafar and stood glaring up at him. The Grand Vizier was at least a foot taller than Ali and looked down at him with arms folded across his chest. The snake staff he held in his hand glared evilly back at the Sultan with red, glowing eyes.

“I will insult whomever I see unfit,” Jafar declared arrogantly, causing the Sultan to grow even more irate. “You find words to be more upsetting than they’re worth, which is why I will win every fight.”

“You’re a pompous, ugly…no-good…dumb bastard of a…witch!” the Sultan screamed. It came out awkward and unconvincing.

“Words,” Jafar sighed, hardly bothered. The Sultan nearly blew his top.

By this point, Adzeem was watching the entire event unfold before his very eyes, just as he had predicted. It had been much easier to initiate than he had thought it would be. To his surprise, his mother jumped between them, putting her hands at Jafar’s chest and silencing him with a stern glare.

“Both of you need to calm down,” she said in a strict tone.

“Speak for him,” Jafar pointed to the Sultan. “I am calm.”

“Fuck you, you fucking fuck!” the Sultan raged. Jasmine grabbed Jafar’s robe and made him turn to the door.

“Out with you,” she told him. “We shall speak later.”

Jafar rolled his eyes but obeyed her demand like he always did.

“I don’t see why you allow your weasel to roam the halls of this palace,” the Sultan belittled. “I want him gone tonight.”

“Please, Ali,” Jasmine pleaded, much to Adzeem’s chagrin. “He is the most trusted adviser on the council and the greatest asset we have.”

“He’s a nothing. He came from nothing and he will die from nothing,” the Sultan said loud enough for the retreating Jafar to hear.

“Your logic is faulty,” Jafar called back. “Are you implying nothing will kill me?”

“You think you’re so clever, you turd of a donkey?” the Sultan demanded. “Come back here and let’s see how clever you are with your fists!”

“Gladly!”

“No, Jafar,” Jasmine waved him away. “Go and we will talk later.”

“Get out of here!” the Sultan goaded. Jafar turned back to the door in exasperation. “And don’t come back! Honestly, Jasmine, I don’t see how you put up with him all the time. You could use some more sense in that female brain of yours.”

“ _What _?__ ” Jafar suddenly spun around to face the Sultan. Adzeem felt the flame of fear roar throughout his nerves at the fury the Grand Vizier displayed. He slouched in his seat and peeked over the table to watch Jafar stomp back towards the Sultan with the snake head of his staff pointed at him in threat. “Never disrespect the Sultaness!” Jafar shouted. “Never!”

“No! Jafar!” Jasmine screamed, holding her hands up to stop him. Being of tall stature, Jafar had the benefit of also having a long reach. His lengthy fingers wrapped around the Sultan’s wrist and his other hand curled into a fist, raised in the air behind him. The Sultan gaped in wide-eyed horror, caught like a deer in the headlights. Jasmine stood in front of Ali and pushed back on Jafar before any violence could incur.

“Stop it now, Jafar!”

“He insulted you!” Jafar spat acrimoniously.

“For the last time, I said go!” She pointed to the door.

“But, Pussycat…”

“Go!” Jasmine said, cutting him off. Adzeem managed to catch the pet name and he was astonished that not only did Jafar have one for his mother but that she allowed him to use it. Jafar furrowed his brow and stomped out of the dining room.

“I want that piece of shit gone by tomor-…”the Sultan began.

“Don’t you speak to me,” Jasmine turned to Ali with a seething bitterness. “You are to go to your chambers and stay there until you can behave yourself.”

“He laid a hand on me! I will not let this slide, woman.”

“You can and you will. You are as much to blame for this incident. Now go to your chambers.”

“You can’t order me around. I am the Sultan.”

“Leave, Ali, or I will dismantle your harem and destroy your hookah den!”

The Sultan yelped comically and ran out the door opposite the one Jafar had stormed through. As soon as he was gone, Jasmine sighed in exhaustion and slumped down in her chair, looking to the floor in defeat. It was then she seemed to remember Adzeem and she glanced up at him, noting that he was still there.

Adzeem looked sheepishly at her and slouched a little lower in his chair.

“Come over here, Adzeem,” his mother told him quietly. Adzeem got up and went to her side of the table, taking the chair beside her. “Did you tell the Sultan to join us for dinner?”

“Yes, mother, I did.”

“Why?”

“Well, why not?” Adzeem shrugged. “You always speak so highly of my father. I thought you would be pleased if he was around more often.”

“Tell me the truth, Adzeem. What did you hope to accomplish?”

At first Adzeem thought about lying and saying he had nothing in mind, but his mother was very perceptive and he didn’t have the audacity to lie to her anyway.

“I was hoping you and father would be happier if you were together like a married couple. I thought that was how love worked.”

His mother sighed again and looked away to the floor in deep thought. It confused him.

“Adzeem,” she replied, trying to sound patient. “Your father is…”

Jasmine paused for a solid five seconds, collecting her thoughts. Enough time elapsed that Adzeem braced himself for the worst news. Perhaps he was wrong and his mother didn’t really love his father after all. Perhaps his father could never love Adzeem.

“Your father is…a remarkable man,” she finally said, much to his relief. “It is true he is the most cunning, brilliant man I’ve ever known, but he also has a strong temper.”

“Do you not love him?”

“I love him with all my heart, however I don’t want you trying to force anyone together. It can never happen for reasons you can’t understand right now.”

“I don’t see what there is to not understand,” Adzeem replied skeptically.

“I know, but believe me, your father and I are in a very difficult relationship, however we make the most of it and it’s enough. Now promise me you will not pull another stunt like that again. It’s not for you to impose upon.” Jasmine looked at him in a way that made him blush in shame.

“Yes, mother,” he sincerely agreed. She smiled at him and brought him to her, wrapping her arms around him in a loving embrace.

“You know that I love you very much, right, my son?” Jasmine asked.

“Yes, I know, mother.” Adzeem could not help but glow under her attention.

 

 

The next day the Sultan decided to weigh in his thoughts at court. Through gossip, Adzeem learned that the Sultan made a surprise appearance, ordering the Sultaness to rise from the throne while he took her place in the seat. He then excused the Grand Vizier who visibly reddened in anger but held his tongue while he marched out of the court. The Sultan then listened to the complaints of the citizens, but grew weary after an hour and dismissed the court for the rest of the day at the complaint of the citizens. When Sultaness Jasmine offered to continue, the Sultan objected to her suggestion, claiming she was only offering to embarrass him. The court was adjourned until the next day.

Adzeem was disconcerted to hear that his father made an even worse leader than he had realized but at least Jafar was equally as humiliated. If things progressed down this road, the Grand Vizier could be altogether ousted from the court.

With this in mind, he happily went to the library to continue reading his book and as he perused the shelves looking for it, his eye caught upon a particular tome that didn’t look familiar at all. He didn’t know why but he was immediately drawn to it. Placing his fingertips at the edge of the book, he could just barely make out the nearly rubbed out words.

_A Beginner's Guide to Practical Uses of Sorcery_

Adzeem flinched his hand away like touching fire. Sorcery was outlawed in the kingdom, though Adzeem often wondered if it existed at all. His curiosity overwhelmed him and he glanced around the library, then finding he was the only one in the vicinity, he pulled the book off the shelf and went somewhere quiet to read. He chose a corner in the vast room that shielded him from the librarians. Sitting cross legged on the floor, Adzeem opened the book and read in wide-eyed amazement.

It was filled with basic sorcery tricks that seemed so easy to learn. He scoured the book page after page like a man sitting down to eat a last meal. A cough somewhere among the rooms of tomes reminded him he was not alone and he took up the book and slipped it under his shirt. As he walked out of the library, he was aware this was his first act of disobedience and it both appalled and thrilled him.

In the privacy of his room, Adzeem read the book over and over again as he tried to figure out how to use the sorcery. His curiosity was overwhelming him to the point that he hadn’t heard the nanny summon him to dinner that evening. She entered his room without warning and Adzeem quickly shut the book and gave her a wild look.

“What are you doing?” the nanny asked him in puzzlement.

“Nothing,” Adzeem replied, instantly realizing that was even more suspicious. “Just trying to kill this spider on my book.”

“Well, it’s time for dinner and your mother is waiting.”

“Okay. Be right there.”

As soon as the nanny left, Adzeem shoved the book under his bed and rushed to the dining room.

 

To Adzeem’s utmost surprise, the Grand Vizier was seated next to his mother as if nothing had ever happened the night before. He quickly sat in his chair but looked up to see the Grand Vizier’s eyes upon him. He felt strangely vulnerable and he wondered if his mother told Jafar about his failed plan.

The Sultan did not make an appearance, which was probably for the best considering he hated the Grand Vizier and could no longer be in the same room with him. Dinner was mostly quiet with Jafar and Jasmine conversing as usual about the state of the kingdom, but Adzeem always knew when Jafar was looking at him. He could feel his eyes inspecting him, digging into his thoughts. Adzeem shied away and excused himself as soon as possible. He wanted to get away from the all-knowing stare of the Grand Vizier and, most of all, he couldn’t wait to put into practice the sorcery he had learned that day.

 

 

Meditation seemed to be the key to learning sorcery. Luckily, his mother had insisted he learn to meditate at an early age. He was now glad that he was so experienced in it, despite the years of protesting. He locked his door and sat cross legged on the rug, breathing in and out in regular intervals and clearing his mind. It was the only spell in the tome that did not require some source of magical catalyst.

After several minutes of trying to project his mind, he was astonished when he suddenly saw himself. He jarred out of his mediation and then smiled evilly when he realized he had accomplished the very first moment of sorcery he had set out to do. He quickly put himself back into his meditation and prepared his mind for the jump.

It was easier to do the second time though it was difficult to maintain the mind projecting. He saw himself again and managed to move his perspective through the wall and out of his chambers. He could see the servants walking the halls and the nanny putting his youngest sister to bed. He projected through the corridors and into his brother’s room where his two brothers were jumping on the bed. He headed out into the night sky and gaped in awe at the stars and the brightness of the moon. He looked back down at the sprawling palace, never having seen it from this angle, and realized he could see the glow of the lamp in his mother’s room. He took his mind down to her balcony and through the curtains, first hearing his mother’s voice speaking in a determined manner. Adzeem nearly jolted out of his meditation when he saw the Grand Vizier standing inside his mother’s room, watching Jasmine as she paced the floor.

“...gone this long without ever having to even think about it,” his mother opined.

“Well, I can’t speak for you but I have certainly thought about it,” Jafar replied nonchalantly.

“Of course you have, my wise viper,” Jasmine scowled at him. “You have always implied you would be happy to do so.”

Adzeem leaned in closer, wondering if he heard his mother correctly. Not only did she seem to be conspiring with the Grand Vizier but she also referred to him by a pet name. She and the Grand Vizier seemed more friendly than he had realized.

“I can’t say that happiness would be my reaction, though relief and fulfillment do come to mind,” Jafar stated, stroking his beard. “Judging by last night’s events at dinner, I would urge we act now.”

“I told you, that was an anomaly. Adzeem says he will not manipulate us to come together and I believe him.”

“I realize that, but the boy has accidentally raised a very good concern. Ali is hot-tempered and he despises me enough that I fear he will do something substantially critical to my role as Grand Vizier. Not to mention his court procedures and illicit exploits are an embarrassment to this kingdom.”

“You’re the one that set the harem up for him. Blame yourself.”

“I did it so he would be out of the way. He would have something to do besides make a fool of himself in court, you know that, pussycat,” Jafar insisted. “Anyway, his usefulness is obsolete. You’re highly respected and no one would dare defy you if you declared yourself ruler of Agrabah.”

“We should wait until after the child is born,” Jasmine suggested.

“For what purpose?” Jafar claimed. “That’s four months away and I doubt Ali would oblige my continued employment on the council. No one would deny the child anyhow. You are visibly pregnant.”

“Perhaps we can stall. I can always threaten to take away his toys.”

“To what end? You have been threatening him for years. At some point he’s going to fight back. He may be an idiot but he’s still a sultan. He has the power to cause trouble.”

“I don’t know about this.” Jasmine shook her head. “I’m not sure now is the right time.”

“When would be the right time?” Jafar asked. He was suddenly beside Jasmine, hands at her shoulders as he tried to comfort her. “However, if it’s not something you want then we can find other methods of quieting him.”

“No, it’s not that. I would rather he was permanently out of the way. It’s just, Adzeem…”

“Adzeem is a bright, young prince. He will be fine.”

“He wants a father.”

“Well, he’s looking in the wrong direction,” Jafar seemed suddenly upset. “And Ali has never been much of a father anyhow. He certainly wouldn’t become one in the future. Besides, I don’t think you give Adzeem enough credit. He’s more than capable of handling himself.”

“I don’t want to hurt him.”

“Neither do I, but this must be done,” Jafar said, slipping his hand beneath her chin and gently lifting so that she would meet his eyes. “If we are to rule this kingdom, Ali must die.”

“Ali must die,” Jasmine tested the words on her tongue before nodding agreeably. “Yes, you’re right. We cannot have another outburst in court like this morning. If we are to do it then do it soon and be swift.”

“As you wish, my pussycat,” Jafar smiled wickedly. Jasmine hooked her fingers in Jafars robe and pulled him towards her, locking her mouth with his in a searing kiss. The shock of the act horrified Adzeem enough to pull him back into his body with such quickness that left him lying discombobulated on the floor.

As soon as he pulled himself together, he pondered what he had just seen. That was hardly his mother. She was not a vicious person. The Grand Vizier had somehow manipulated his mother into agreeing to kill his father. It was always the Grand Vizier. Adzeem had limited time now. He must save his mother, but first he had to warn his father.

 

 

“Father!” Adzeem rushed to his father’s chambers but it was empty. There was only one other place he could be. Adzeem ran to Sultan Ali’s private wing of the palace but was stopped by the guard outside the entrance.

“I’m sorry, Prince Adzeem,” the guard apologized. “But you are not allowed inside this area of the palace.”

“Why not? I am the prince. Why should there be restrictions on me?”

“I have my orders. Neither you nor your siblings are allowed in this area.”

“Whose orders?”

“The Grand Vizier Jafar’s.”

 _Of course_ , thought Adzeem. _He’s always in the way._

“I demand entrance at once!” Adzeem declared though he was not used to using commands yet and his voice wavered. The guard simply shook his head.

“Sorry. If you have a problem with it, take it up with the Grand Vizier.”

Seeing he wasn’t getting anywhere, Adzeem scampered away and around a corner where the guards couldn’t see him. How could he get inside now? Adzeem snapped his fingers and ran off to his room.

 

 

The prince slammed and locked his door then sat roughly onto the floor, pulling the book of sorcery upon his crossed legs. He closed his eyes and gripped the book tight like a charm.

“ _Project my mind. Project my mind. Project my mind…_ ” he whispered over and over again until the mantra finally calmed his nerves and his body eased into a languid meditation. Immediately, his mind slipped away and he found he was watching himself from above.

He vaguely knew where the Grand Vizier’s chambers were in the palace. He was aware they were close to his mothers, which seemed even more suspicious now that he thought about it. As he floated his mind through the palace, looking for Jafar, he was suddenly confronted by an area that felt like bumping his mind into a solid wall. In confusion, he tried again but the walls circling a large area were impenetrable. He had no doubt it was somehow tied to the Grand Vizier.

Failing that, Adzeem took his consciousness to the forbidden wing his father often occupied. He was prepared for another block but his mind floated right past the guards unseen and into a strange place the likes Adzeem had never heard of before.

There were couches and pillows everywhere with servants serving young men and women not much older than him splayed out on the furniture and floor. They seemed to be in a daze of some kind. His father was at the end of the room, reclined on a couch, half naked and with a pipe in his mouth. There was a tube extending from the pipe that led to a large standing silver pot, which emitted smoke on occasion.

“Father,” Adzeem said near him but his father didn’t hear. “Father! Jafar is coming to kill you!” There was no use, the projection was only of his mind and his physical body was still back in his room.

Suddenly a strong wind fluttered through the open balcony and all the men and women, including the servants, suddenly closed their eyes and fell into a deep sleep. Those servants standing toppled onto the pillows with their trays crashing to the floor. His father looked around him in a disbelieving stare, caught in what he probably thought was a hallucination.

“You’re not dreaming,” a rich baritone sailed in through the window. Adzeem recognized Jafar’s voice but didn’t see him, and evidently, neither did Ali.

“Show yourself, ghost!” Ali cried out. A cloud of black ash spiraled through the air and landed on the floor, materializing into the Grand Vizier first from his feet to the top of his head.

Adzeem looked upon Jafar in pure shock. A sorcerer. Inside the palace. It explained everything. How his intelligent mother was manipulated, the block surrounding Jafar’s quarters, the fear he had when the Grand Vizier was near….

Ali was just as astonished as Adzeem though fear was more rampant upon his face. He dropped his pipe and tried to scramble off the recliner, but the Grand Vizier raised his snake staff and a yellow wave emanated from the head, striking the Sultan and rendering him paralyzed. The Grand Vizier chuckled to himself.

“The trouble you have become,” he mocked. “The Sultaness would have allowed you to live longer if you hadn’t become so detestable.”

The Sultan only stared in fear at the advancement of the Grand Vizier. Jafar tsked at him.

“Nothing to say?” he taunted. “If you haven’t noticed, I have not frozen your mouth though you’ve never said anything of any worth.”

“Spare me my life,” the Sultan uttered. Jafar shook his head in distaste.

“My Sultaness has given me a command and I shall follow it through. I cannot spare your life nor would I want to.”

“Then you are a cold, heartless snake.”

Jafar chuckled, deep and reverberating in his throat. “Yes. I am.”

“I should have had you killed long ago, when I first came to the kingdom.”

“Don’t delude yourself. You had no power then and you have no power now. Any last words?” Jafar sat on the couch beside the Sultan and looked down on his reclined form in disgust.

“You are like a dog begging for scraps from your master.”

“Insulting to the very end. Had I known you were so ornery, I would not have suggested to Jasmine she choose you to wed.”

“She chose me because she fell in love with me!” the Sultan shouted.

To both Ali and Adzeem’s surprise, Jafar began to laugh. It was evil and maniacal and instigated fear.

“How little you know!” Jafar exclaimed. “Did you never wonder why the Sultaness, who had throngs of princes falling at her feet, would choose you? A cowardly, simple-minded son of a disgraced Sultan. You came with offers of land and reduced tax on imports. With those gifts, Jasmine knew she could increase the wealth of the kingdom. And she did. There is nothing she would not do for her kingdom, including…hmmm, shall we say, ordering the demise of one who disrupts her power? You have become a threat and I must subdue anything that gets in the way.”

“You are just a pawn in her game, you spawn of Satan,” Ali spat. “One day she will order your death and you will not see it coming because of your obsession. Everyone knows you’re in love with her, but she will never feel more than pity for an aging, pathetic worm like you.”

Once again, Jafar shook his head like he couldn’t be more wrong. “An entire decade and you still have never seen all that is right before your eyes. Have you never noticed that you don’t remember your wedding night?”

“I was drunk.”

“And yet you managed to conceive a child. How fortunate that a man like you, who is passed out, can still maintain an erection. Though, I’ll divulge a secret. You were much too gone for that, though I guess there was never an attempt to gain one from you anyway.”

“What are you saying?” the Sultan demanded. “Are you telling me that stupid, little brat is not my son?” Adzeem gasped in shock both by the reveal and the harsh criticism.

“You don’t deserve a son like Adzeem,” Jafar replied gravely. “He is superior than you in every way. He doesn’t even look like you. None of your children do.”

“Then what-…?”

“You’ll note that you don’t have memories of any night of conception. It might pain you to learn you and Jasmine have never consummated your marriage,” Jafar said with a barely concealed smile.

The Sultan seemed to finally understand Jafar’s meaning and he first dropped his jaw in surprise then gritted his teeth and furrowed his brows. “That whore!” he exclaimed. “That slutty bitch of a-…augh!”

The Sultan’s words were silenced by the back of Jafar’s right hand. The severe slap immediately spread a red welt across Ali’s face. The Sultan cried while Jafar shook the sting out of his hand.

“You have no idea how lucky you are to have been born a prince,” Jafar remarked. “In every respect, Jasmine is mine except in legal terms. You, of all people, had the chance to observe up close her wonder and amazement, but you were too selfish and ignorant and you will die for it.”

Before the Sultan had a chance to protest, Jafar grabbed the pipe from off the floor and shoved it in his mouth. With his staff, Jafar caused the opium in the pipe to flood Ali’s lungs, suffocating him with the strong vapors. The Sultan squirmed violently and Adzeem was paralyzed in shock. He felt his mind wavering, begging him to let go, and as soon as the thought broke free Adzeem felt his mind being ripped away from the scene and fly back into his body, nearly knocking him back onto the floor with force.

Gasping for air, Adzeem sat up awkwardly, staring at nothing while his brain caught up to all that he had seen. Despite the revelations about her, there was only one person that could make him feel safe.

 

Adzeem ran to his mother’s room. She opened the door with a look of confusion to his incessant knocking and he entered without a word, tightly wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Adzeem,” she said in concern as she closed the door and hugged him to her. She guided him to the couch and made him sit, all the while comforting him. “Whatever is the matter?”

Adzeem had no answer. He didn’t want to reveal he knew that she and the grand Vizier were involved with each other or that he knew she had just commanded her lover to carry out the death of his father. Or rather, the man he had thought was his father. Everything was too confusing and he couldn’t stop gripping her and hiding his face in her shoulder. Jasmine placed her lips upon his temple and stroked his hair. Adzeem’s anxiety began to lift.

He was suddenly aware of another presence in the room.

“Your highness,” came the soft, deep baritone of the Grand Vizier. “It is done.”

“Good,” she replied, barely looking up from her son. There was an exchange of silently mouthed words and expressions between them that Adzeem was aware of but chose to stay rooted in his mother’s arms. There was an unfamiliarity to their communication, knowing that they were talking about him, and Adzeem learned that he hadn’t known what it was like to have a male figure feel concern for him. It was strangely soothing.

After a minute, the Grand Vizier left and it was only Adzeem and Jasmine.

“Tell me about my father,” Adzeem asked her solemnly. She hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Your father is the wisest man I know,” she began. “There is nothing he would not do for me…”

This time Adzeem really listened.

 

 

The funeral left Adzeem feeling numb. Four days ago he would have felt a terrible loss at never having found his way into his father’s good graces. Now, he was merely looking at the ashes of the man who thought he had sired Adzeem and still never made an attempt to be a father. He glanced at his mother who couldn’t seem to bother pretending to cry for the disgraced sultan. Beside her, Jafar stared blankly at the urn, his hand at the small of her back, his thumb gently rubbing circles. Their intimacy did not disgust him anymore.

Adzeem was no longer afraid of the Grand Vizier. He had somehow always known that Jafar could disrupt his sense of self and he had been right all along. But now that he knew their secrets, there was nothing to fear anymore. Fortunately, now that Adzeem was enlightened, he realized there was nothing to fear in the first place. His concept of himself was better than it had been before.

Adzeem had not realized he had been staring at the Grand Vizier until Jafar glanced in his direction and they made eye contact. There was a moment of shared curiosity before Adzeem turned his attention back to the urn.

 

 

Back in his room, Adzeem looked in the mirror and saw his reflection in a new light. The long face, sinister eyes, wide mouth, large nose; there was no denying that he was the exact likeness of Jafar. How he had never noticed was beyond him.

He speculated on what his mother told him about his father, considering all this time she had been referencing the Grand Vizier and not the Sultan. It had been the person Jasmine spoke of that Adzeem desperately needed approval and knowing that was Jafar caused him to reevaluate everything.

He held up the book of sorcery in his hand and glanced at it lightly. Nothing was ever coincidental. Adzeem huffed out his nose in amusement.

 

 

A hard tap of a cane alerted Adzeem of the whereabouts of the Grand Vizier. It was no surprise when Jafar rounded the corner of the library and slowed his step at the reception of the prince.

“Grand Vizier,” Adzeem acknowledged. “Could I be so bold as to ask for your assistance?”

Jafar stopped in his tracks with high raises of his brows. “Of course, young highness,” he responded after a brief pause. “How can I be of service?”

“I’ve heard you are wise in the matters of all things. I am interested in strategy and am hoping to challenge you in a game of Go.”

“If it pleases your highness, I would certainly be amenable to such an offer.”

Adzeem directed Jafar to the nearest table and handed him a bag of black beads. He looked carefully at the Grand Vizier and noted he had never seen the man look this way before. He seemed…cheerful.

“Just because I am a prince, I ask that you won’t go easy on me,” Adzeem told him.

“Not at all, young Adzeem,” Jafar stated with a chuckle. “One cannot learn without first knowing their standing. We shall see where you rank when it comes to strategy.”

“I have hope that you will teach me much,” Adzeem said with an air of shyness. Jafar looked at him in pride before replying.

“My dear boy,” he answered in rare humor. “I will teach you everything.”

**Author's Note:**

> If someone would do me a huge favor and read both this story and The Viper and the Vixen then let me know which one is better, I will be super appreciative! That way I will know where I need to focus my improvements. Thank you in advance!


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